Godfather
by rosa suscipit
Summary: Teddy seeks out his Godfather as he begins to struggle with the fact that he is an orphan.


**AN: After the latest update from JK Rowling on Pottermore I was inspired to write a little one-shot exploring Teddy Lupin's relationship with Harry Potter, please enjoy.**

Godfather

"I'm going out."

"Oh no you're not."

"I am and you can't stop me!"

"You will sit down and explain to me what possessed you to-"

Teddy slammed the door in his grandmother's face, turning furiously towards the garden gate and stomping towards it. He had his jacket clutched in one hand and began to put one arm in, he tripped on a stone on the path, swearing loudly and fluently as he righted himself and yanked the gate open, nearly wrenching it off of its hinges. He turned down the street and began heading towards his local park, as he walked he muttered angrily to himself, frowning and kicking violently at stones that dared to be sitting in his path. He pushed both hands deep into the pockets of his artfully ripped jeans, a soft wind picked up his hair which was fluctuating violently between his favoured turquoise and a dark, angry red. He wished he could go and visit Victoire but she was on holiday with her family, he knew that she would probably tell him off for being rude to his grandmother but he still wanted to at least see her face, even if she wore a disproving frown. A small smile threatened to creep onto his lips and he forced it away, trying to stay angry whilst thinking about his girlfriend was becoming increasingly difficult.

Finally he reached his intended destination, the park sat in brooding silence beneath a puddle of orange lamplight and Teddy sighed as he found a swing and sat down. He dug around in his pocket and withdrew a packet of cigarettes, he lit one with a muggle lighter he had nicked from his grandmother and took a deep drag before tipping his head back and looking up at the stars. His trainers scuffed the soft tarmac beneath him and he listened to the distant drone of traffic, he swung gently back and forth, smoking and thinking back over his argument with his Nan.

It had started when he had come home for the school holidays earlier in the day, he had already been feeling depressed over the fact that Victoire was going away and he wouldn't see her until they returned to Hogwarts but his mood was made worse when some idiot had decided to insult him.

"_Oi! Werewolf-boy, what are you doing this summer? Howling at the moon?"_

The laughter had trickled through the busy platform and he had gritted his teeth, his hand clenching automatically on his wand as he had sent a furious glare at the boy. Andromeda had put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and told him firmly to ignore them, and he knew she was right. As time had passed there had been less and less nasty comments about his heritage but still when they did happen they seemed to stir a dark pit of anger within him that he had very little control over. His father was a sensitive topic at the best of times; he was never sure one day to the next just how he felt about him. Some days he was proud of what his father had done but on others he was resentful and filled with anger towards him, he felt abandoned and alone. His grandmother was a strict woman but kind and generally quite fair, she had always loved him and taken care of him but there was always something missing in his life. It felt as if he were a puzzle that had one piece that just didn't fit right and he had no idea where to find the piece that did. He had many good friends and an excellent extended family and now a stunning girlfriend but still, there was that single piece that simply didn't seem right. His life wasn't bad and at school he was relatively popular, even more so when people discovered that he was THE Harry Potter's Godson. But when he was at school there always seemed as if there was a shadow hanging over him, even at home people would constantly compare him to the parents he never knew.

_Oh, you're just as clumsy as your mother._

_You're as bright as your father._

_Teddy, with your hair like that you look just like Tonks._

_When your hair is brown you resemble your father so much._

The comments were harmless enough but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if these people ever saw him for him. When they looked at him were they seeing Edward Lupin or were they seeing one or the other of his parents? Even his grandmother did it on occasion. He sighed heavily and rubbed at his eyes with the palm of his hands, he was tired but he didn't want to return home. He was still seething about his encounter with the ignorant twat who tried to start a fight with him. He hadn't meant to punch him; it had been an automated reaction. The boy had cried out and fallen backwards, luckily for him Harry had appeared and grabbed Teddy in a firm grip before dragging him backwards, away from the git who had shouted at him and was now crying over a broken nose. Teddy looked down at his knuckles, he could now see a faint purple bruise appearing there and he sighed heavily again.

He had been surprised to find himself standing in a corner of the train platform surrounded by Harry, Ginny, Fluer, James, Victoire, Lilly and Albus and, of course, his grandmother. He blinked at them all as Victoire moved forward and put a hand on his arm, squeezing it gently and reassuring him silently. He had avoided everyone's gaze and decided to frown sulkily down at his trainers instead.

"What was that for?" Harry had asked, those famous green eyes narrowed in concern. "Are you alright?"

Teddy had insisted he was fine, even as Harry had given him a look that was full of perfect understanding. He hated that look. He had avoided speaking to anyone but Victoire as they had left Platform Nine and Three Quarters and gone out into the muggle world.

Teddy tore his eyes away from the stars, his hair began to settle into a dark brown colour and he stood up, feeling more depressed than he had done before he had walked out on his Nan. He stood up, suddenly deciding it was high time he visited his Godfather. Harry would know what to say to make him feel better. He walked towards the road, slowly withdrawing his wand with furtive glances left and right to ensure the coast was clear of Muggles before sticking it out in front of him and waiting. He didn't have to wait long before there was a loud bang and a large, purple bus came to an abrupt halt before him.

XXX

"I'm home!" Harry called as he closed his front door, he heard the familiar sound of James and Albus arguing and then Ginny snapping at them before the door to the living room opened and his wife came out to greet him.

"Welcome home, Harry, how was work?"

Harry grimaced as he shed his cloak and threw it in the direction of the coat rack, it fell at the bottom but before he could take another step into the house Ginny glared at him and he bent and picked it up again with a guilty grin. "It was alright, bit boring actually. There's a bunch of petty thieves running around breaking into Wizarding homes and stealing valuable items, we're close to catching them but there's a lot of tedious recon involved. How was your day?"

"Oh the usual. Pride of Portree lost to Balleycastle Bats when Samuel O'Brady caught the snitch in the ninetieth minute, it was quite a spectacular catch but there's some dispute as to whether he caught it on skill or something a little more sinister. James put spiders in Albus' soup again and he threw it across the room in terror, I made James clean it up but he's still complaining about it. Lily's in bed, she did try to stay up to see you but she couldn't make it in the end."

"Ah well, I've got the day off tomorrow." Harry grinned and looked over Ginny's shoulder, she turned to find James standing in the living room door way in his pyjamas and looking sulky. "Hello James." Harry said, moving forward and pulling the young man into an embrace, James struggled free and huffed irritably.

"I'm not a baby anymore Dad, you can't just hug me like that. It's disgusting." He rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips, unknowingly imitating his mother. "Al's being annoying again. He keeps trying to get me to read him a story. I don't want to, that's _your_ job." He turned and strode back into the living room. "I'm watching Batman, anyway."

"Is the TV working again?" Harry asked as he followed his eldest son into the room.

"Yeah, mum fixed it." James replied as he sat down on the sofa and fell silent as he watched his film.

"I managed to fix it with a reparo charm but to be honest I don't think it'll last, there's just too much magic in the house." Ginny sighed as she took a seat between her sons. Harry sat at Al's side and let him crawl into his lap where he sat with his head resting on his shoulder, he yawned widely and his eyes began to slowly drift closed. Colour splashed vibrantly across the ceiling and their faces and Harry felt his own eyes growing heavy, just as his head was going to hit his wife's shoulder a sharp knock on the door made him jump, startling Al out of his own doze. "Who on earth is that?" Ginny asked as Harry stood up, depositing his youngest back on the sofa where he curled up around a cushion.

"I'll go." Harry muttered, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses and moving out into the hall. He opened the door and peered blearily into the night and it took him a moment to recognise the figure stood in the pool of orange light from the street lamps. "Teddy!" He exclaimed.

"Hi." Teddy gave him a small, slightly sad smile and Harry noticed the colour of his hair before he stepped aside.

"Come in, there's obviously a good reason for you being here. Does Andromeda know where you are?"

Teddy stepped into the cosy house and shed his coat, he moved to hang it up on the rack and ended up knocking everything to the floor. "Oh crap! I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry." Harry replied, lazily flicking his wand so that everything was restored to normal. "Come in, I'll get you a drink and you can explain what happened."

Teddy entered the living room and smiled as James ran over to him, hopping excitedly from one foot to the other, beaming brilliantly. "Cool! Are you staying for a sleep over tonight? You can have Al's bed, he won't mind sleeping on the floor! We're watching Batman, he's so awesome! He takes out bad guys like Dad does. How long are you going to stay for? Do you want to play Quidditch tomorrow? I've been practicing."

"James, give him a chance to sit down before you start harassing him. Hello Teddy." Ginny smiled warmly and pulled him into an embrace. "You look down, are you alright?"

"'M fine." Teddy shrugged and avoided her gaze; he could almost feel her eyes meet her husband's over the top of his head as she drew away.

"Right then, I'll go put some tea on. James, Al, time for bed."

James groaned loudly, throwing his hands into the air and huffing as he shuffled reluctantly after his mother, Al followed sleepily, his eyes bleary. "'lo Ted." He muttered as he passed and Teddy ruffled his messy hair, making him grin. He listened to James' complaints as he stomped up the stairs before his door slammed loudly behind him.

"Right, take a seat." Harry said and indicated a nearby chair; Teddy sat down and stared gloomily at his hands. "Talk to me, why are you so upset?"

Teddy glanced at his Godfather, noting his concerned expression before looking away again, his eyes landed on the Muggle television, something he didn't have in his house as Muggle electronic equipment confused his grandmother and usually ended up getting broken as she lost her temper with them. She always told him that her husband had dealt with things like that but when he had passed away she could no longer bear to look at them. Once again sadness welled up within him and he sighed, pushing his hands through his hair and finally meeting Harry's eyes with his own. "Did my parents love me?" He asked abruptly, making Harry's expression change to one of surprise. Obviously he had not expected that question.

"Of course they did, Ted, what on earth makes you think otherwise?"

"I…I dunno. A lot of stuff, I guess. I mean…They died. I never knew them; I only have what other people have told me about them but what if…what if they didn't really care? What if they left me because they didn't want me?" his eyes took on a kind of desperate pleading and Harry gazed at him with sympathy.

"I can assure you that they loved you." He said softly, slowly standing up and moving towards the TV, he shut it off and turned back to Teddy. "The proof of their love for you is in what they did to protect you."

Teddy's face screwed up in confusion, Harry had the sudden violent impression of Tonks having the exact same expression when she had changed her appearance. He stifled the urge to laugh at the memory; this would be a really bad time. "They died…how is that proof that they loved me? Wouldn't it have been better to live and protect me that way?"

"They died to give you a better future, Teddy. They died so that you could live in a world where it doesn't matter where you come from, what your background is; they died so that you can live."

"But…but it didn't work did it? I still get shit every day from a few kids at school and worse from the adults! 'Werewolf boy', 'Puppy', 'Wolf cub'…it's the same thing over and over and it doesn't even matter if I tell them I'm not a werewolf! I still get called names, treated like shit because my Dad couldn't keep it in his pants!" His voice rose along with his anger but Harry remained utterly calm as he regarded the boy through those slightly disconcerting green eyes, Teddy's hands tightened on the arms of the chair he was sat in as he tried to control himself but he couldn't and his voice continued to rise. "Everyone keeps comparing me to them, as if I don't even exist! I'm not me I'm just the embodiment of my parents! People I didn't even know! No one understands! No one gets what it's like to be compared to people who you've never even met! They were heroes and it's like I'm expected to follow in their footsteps and I-I I just can't! I'm not clever like my dad, I'm not an Auror like my mum! No one understands that!"

Harry smiled softly. "I do." He said in such a quiet voice it took Teddy a moment to hear him, he paused and his mouth opened before he snapped it shut again.

"I'm sorry…I didn't think."

"It's fine. My situation was only slightly different from yours. It was a compliment to be compared to my parents because I spent eleven years of my life convinced that my Dad was a drunk who got my mum killed in a car crash. You've grown up with the knowledge that your parents were heroes, that they fought and died in the second Wizarding War and helped save our world from a mad man. I can understand why you would feel eclipsed by their memory…" Harry paused, frowning into the distance for a moment before returning his gaze back to Teddy. He smiled and pushed his glasses further up onto the bridge of his nose. "Wait here a moment, Ginny should be in with the tea, I have something to show you." He swept out of the room, his robes flying majestically behind him.

Teddy waited, his hands sitting limply in his lap when Ginny entered with a tray hovering before her and a smile. "Here, tea and some biscuits." She placed the tray on the table and handed Teddy a mug. "Al's sharing his room with James tonight so his bedroom's free; I've changed the sheets you're welcome to stay."

"Thank you, Ginny."

"Not a problem." She left him alone again, humming as she went.

After a few moments Harry returned, Teddy looked up at him as he dropped into a crouch before him, in his right hand he held a photograph. "This was…this was on your father's body when he-he…" Harry paused, a deep frown creasing his brow and Teddy realised, with a jolt, that he could see tell-tale lines around his eyes and mouth that he could have sworn hadn't been there before, but when had he last actually looked this closely at his Godfather? He couldn't remember. Harry's eyes clouded with something, as if he was suddenly plagued by painful memories. "I found it on your father's body when he died." Harry finally managed, his voice slightly rough with emotions he was trying to suppress. "Remus showed it to everyone he encountered when he arrived at Hogwarts to fight. He was so proud of you, even then. I can only imagine how proud he'd be if he saw you now and your mother…she would have too." He finally handed Teddy the battered photo, his hand was visibly shaking but his eyes were firm and met Teddy's unflinchingly.

Teddy stared down at his own image; he could see that what little hair he had was a bright turquoise, just like he liked to have it now. The edges were frayed, the image a little smeary as if it had been handled a lot and in one corner was a small stain that looked a little like it could have been blood. Suddenly Teddy felt his eyes burn savagely; he gritted his teeth and crumpled the photo in his sweaty fist. He wiped roughly at his eyes with the back of his free hand and choked down a sob. He had many photographs of when he was tiny but not many that had not only been taken by his parents but actually held by them, he could almost feel a faint residue of his father in the old picture and he tightened his grip on it. "I'm sorry…I've just spent my whole life wondering…a-and this is actual proof that he…that they really did care."

"I know." Harry managed a weak smile and pulled his Godson into a rough embrace.

"H-Harry?" Teddy muttered after a minute.

"Yes?"

"Can you show me the pictures again? The one's from your album?"

"Of course." Harry stood up, wincing as his back cracked, reminding him that he wasn't as young as he once was. "Come on, it's in my room."

Later that night Teddy fell asleep, curled up around Harry's photo album and still clutching the last proof that he had once been loved and doted upon by his parents.

Harry closed the boy's door quietly and sighed heavily, he leaned against it and tipped his head back to look up at the ceiling. He heard Ginny before he saw her and looked at her as she approached him, she saw the look on his pale face and her own fell in sympathy, she pulled him into a tight hug and felt his arms fold around her. He buried his face in her hair and took a deep, slightly unsteady breath. "It still hurts."

"I know." She whispered and kissed his lips as her hands slid to cup his face, she looked into his eyes and smiled softly. "You did well, he'll come to terms with everything eventually he just needs time. You turned out ok."

Harry managed a short chuckle. "Did I? I'm just glad he got a happy childhood."

"He's got a good family, Harry, you're an excellent Godfather."

Harry's smile turned a little bitter. "Yeah, I had a good Godfather too, it's a shame he never got a chance to be one to me properly."

"But you do. You can do everything that Sirius never had the chance to do and you have been, trust yourself, Harry. Teddy loves you, you're the only father figure he has."

"I know." Harry bent his head and tightened his grip on his wife, he kissed her deeply, pushing one hand into her thick red hair. "Thank you Ginny…I love you."

"I love you too." Ginny mumbled as she pulled Harry closer to her, she moaned softly and her husband responded. "Kids are asleep…"

"Mmm, yeah…come on." Harry grabbed her hand and pulled away reluctantly; together they went to their own bedroom and closed the door.


End file.
